The Choices We Make
by Axxit
Summary: After overhearing of Ace's imprisonment, a seven year old Luffy rushes to the docks, intending on saving Ace. There he's met with another sight, as he witnesses Sabo sailing out. After he ends up saving Sabo, the two set out, intending on saving their freckled brother. Meanwhile, Ace gets a friend in captivity that just may be the solution to his problem... (ASL & Whitebeards Fic)
1. Don't leave Me

**The Choices We Make**

 **A/N**

 **(Hey Guys! Axx here! I've kinda been taking a break from writing for a while, and been more of a lurker for a bit. During my creepy ass lurking, I got the inspiration for this story. Surprisingly, while there are stories of Ace and Luffy going after Sabo** _ ***Cough Cough***_ **Finding Sabo** _***Cough Cough***_ **, and stories about Ace and Sabo going after Luffy** _ ***Cough Cough***_ **Bonds Of Sea and Fire** _ ***Cough Cough***_ **Read them both, highly recommended,** _ ***Cough Cough*. Also since I'm recommending,**_ _ **Searching for A Saviour**_ _**also deserves my love.**_ **Anyways, I have yet to find a story with Sabo and Luffy going after Ace. So I was like screw it Imma do this myself. And I threw in the Whitebeards because I have a mild obsession. Anyways, Enjoy!**

 **-Axx)**

* * *

"Sir! We have arrived at Dawn island."

Groaning at the interruption of his nap, the man ran a hand through his thick, black curly hair. Moving his hand down, he pulled his sleep mask off his face, instead moving it upwards to rest on his forehead.

"Yeah Yeah. Dock near the forest, let's get this over with."

"Yes Sir!"

Aokiji was now standing up. Facing the island, his expression unreadable. 'So this is it huh? ….The home of Roger's son.'

* * *

 _ **~Earlier~**_

* * *

" _Listen Aokiji. I know this may be a lot to ask from you, but you're one of the only ones I can trust with this."_

" _Hmm?"_

 _One eyebrow raised at the sudden request, Aokiji followed Sengoku into his office, away from any listening ears. Sengoku sat down at his desk with a sigh, while Aokiji stood relatively close, arms crossed, waiting for further information. With another sigh Sengoku looked up at him, eyes hard as he spoke._

" _Now. As I assume, you remember the late Pirate King, Gold Roger?"_

" _Of course."_

 _The fleet admiral took a breath before he continued, as if the topic bothered him to talk about._

" _We have received new intel confirming the possibility of a child… His child to be exact."_

 _Aokiji eyes widened for a slight second, but quickly returned back to his normal neutral expression._

" _And how do I fit into this picture Sengoku?"_

" _Listen Aokiji. I don't want this information spreading around. You're one of the few who I know won't tell a soul. I need you to go and retrieve the child."_

 _The admiral's eyes narrowed._

" _What are you going to do with the child afterwards. Condemn him to the same fate as his father?"_

" _I was going to try to leave this alone, but somehow Akainu found out. That man," Sengoku shook his head. "He will definitely kill the kid if we don't do anything, regardless if the child is innocent or not."_

" _And your solution?"_

" _...Imprisonment. It's neutral ground decided upon. It may not be the best solution, but at least the kid will be alive for a while, and it will buy us more time till we try to figure something out."_

" _I don't know about this Sengoku. I have a bad feeling."_

" _Me too, but this is the best course of action for now. I need you to trust me Kuzan."_

 _The two stared at each other for a moment, before they reached mutual agreement. Aokiji nodded his head, before turning to leave._

" _I'll be leaving now then. I'll take a small ship and crew to assist."_

* * *

 _ **~Back to Just Arrived Aokiji~**_

* * *

"Admiral Aokiji! We've just received word that The Celestial Dragons are visiting this island this week."

"Hmm. The Celestial Dragons huh?" He shrugged "It should be fine as long as we stay clear of them."

Not really concerned, the admiral took three men with him while the other two stayed with the ship. He hadn't got much information about Roger's kid, so his search would have to cover the entire island. He sighed. ' _What a pain.'_

* * *

 _ **-Timeskip-**_

* * *

It was his second day on the island when the fire happened. He had searched most of the island already, so possible areas where this kid could be were quickly diminishing. He began to wonder if the Intel was even correct. He found himself sometimes hoping it wasn't. He was in the forest when he saw the smoke.

"Admiral Aokiji…"

"Let's go."

The marines had quickly found their way to the source of the smoke, and were horrified with what they found.

"What the hell?!"

The vast trash heap that once had so many inhabitants was now a fiery inferno. 'Shit!' Aokiji began running into the fire.

"Go help anyone you can!"

"Yes Sir!"

The admiral began using his ice to try clearing paths for the previously presumed doomed trapped victims. He was met with much tears and gratitude as those he managed to help disappeared into the forest. He used his haki to try to sense any more survivors. He sensed a group. He almost made it to them, when he felt it.

* * *

 **-With Ace-**

* * *

" **LUFFY!"**

His eyes clenched tight, he did the only thing he could manage to do. He screamed. He screamed for his brother, he screamed for himself, he screamed for their lives. His eyes shot open when he found himself released. His stormy grey eyes widened as he looked around him. The Bluejam pirates were collapsing one by one onto the ground, not getting up. All that remained was a very confused and angry Bluejam.

"Oi! You guys! Stop playing around! OI! CAN YOU IDIOTS HERE ME?! GET UP THIS INSTANT!"

When he saw his crewmates weren't moving, his attention and anger turned to be directed at Ace.

"YOU BRAT! WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

Ace barely got into a fighting stance when Bluejam lunged for him. He managed to get one hit on the larger man, before he found himself pinned on the ground. ' _Shit! Luffy!'_ He slowly turned his head, anger and guilt rising when he saw his beloved brother's bloody form on the floor, staring at him in horror. He then turned back to the pirate above him. He did the only thing he could manage at that point, he glared, continuing what little struggling he could manage. If he was going to die, he wanted to go out fighting till his last breath!

"DIE BRAT!"

"ACE!"

Ace waited for the impact that never came. He opened his eyes, widening at what he saw.

"DADAN?!"

"YOU! NO ONE HURTS MY BRATS! MAGRA! GET THE IDIOT BRATS AND GET OUT OF HERE!"

Ace immediately stood up next to her, refusing to leave her side.

"I'm not leaving you old hag!"

"Watch it brat! Stop being so goddamn stubborn!"

" **I never back down from a fight!"**

Ace stared at her, eyes filled with determination. His face clearing displaying he wasn't going anywhere without her.

"...Tch. Have it your way brat! Don't blame me if anything happens."

"ACE!"

Ace tried to ignore the cries of his brother as he tuned his focus to the fight. ' _Get ready Bluejam! Here I come!'_

* * *

…

* * *

Aokiji waited. He knew that according to his job he should have already gone to help, but as soon as he felt that kid's powerful burst of haki, something compelled him to stay put. The angry child sparked his interest, especially as he didn't back down in the face of danger, as most his age would've done so long before. So he stayed shrouded in the flames, not being damaged due to his ice. His eyes widened when he heard the raven say an all too familiar phrase.

" **I never back down from a fight."**

A mental picture of a similarly black headed man flashed in his head, clad with a big goofy grin and an old strawhat.

"I never back down from a fight!"

Aokiji sighed, rubbing at his head. This was going to be harder than he thought. The admiral continued to think of the pros and cons of this mission, while also trying to figure out if the kid was even Rogers. One phrase could've been a coincidence. But he did have the haki that not many possessed, his brain reminded him. Sighing again, he looked up, deciding to talk to the child. He blinked when he found them no longer there. He rubbed at his head. ' _Oh shit… I lost them.'_

* * *

 **~With Lu~**

* * *

"ACE! GET OFF ME! WE HAVE TO GO BACK!" The little raven continued struggling, fighting to get to the door and back to his brother, to no avail. Several of the bandits held him down, sympathetic looks never leaving their faces.

"Luffy…"

Magra sighed, gazing at the other bandits for help.

"Ace will be fine. Boss' with him. She won't let anything happen to him. I promise. But for now, we need to get you treated… How do you think Ace will feel if he sees you like this?"

The struggling stopped. Owlish brown eyes stared back at him.

"...You promise?"

"I swear it."

* * *

 **~TimeSkip~**

* * *

Luffy had been left in his room after he had been treated. He was under the instructions to rest, but it more of a suggestion, as even the doctor knew that was unlikely in his current state. So instead Luffy waited, hands gripping his precious hat and wrapped in Ace's old blanket. ' _I won't cry.'_ Clutching his hat, he quivered, trying his hardest to prevent the oncoming tears.' _I won't cry!'_ He repeated again in his head. '

"A-Ace.." He whimpered. ' _Don't leave me alone!'._

* * *

 **~TimeSkip~**

* * *

Luffy woke up confused. He couldn't even remember falling asleep. His hat had fallen off his head onto his hat, and after stopping to stare at it for a moment, he put it back on it's rightful place. He still clutched Ace's blanket in his hand. He looked around, frowning as loneliness tugged at his heart as he still saw no Ace. Then he heard the muffled noises.

"the...left...damn...Ace...Garp...now…-"

' _Ace?'_ Luffy immediately grinned. That was Dadan's voice, and if Dadan was back that must mean- ' _Ace!'_ He dropped the sheet, bolting out of the room with a laugh. He made his way to what the bandits referred to as the living room, otherwise the source of all the noise. The grin never leaving his face. ' _Ace will be so proud I stayed strong! Maybe we can go hunting! OOoo! Or go get Sabo! Ace. Sabo. Meat. Ace. Sabo. Mea-'_

"WELL WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?"

Luffy stopped as he listened confused. Dadan always yelled, so that was nothing new, but this time her voice sounded… different. Instead of just normal anger, laced with annoyance most of the time, he heard something akin to… sadness? Regret? Peering his head into the room, he watched. His instincts told him not to burst in just yet, and he couldn't tell why, but he felt uneasy. He saw Dadan pacing around the room, bottle in hand, the bandits rushing after her as they tried to calm her down.

"Boss! Calm down, you'll wake Luffy! We need to treat those burns."

Dadan grunted, but sat down anyways as one of the bandits quickly went to treat her many injuries.

"Now Boss, what happened? Where's Ace?"

Dadan glared down at the floor, eyes overcast. She clenched her fists as she gritted through her teeth, hissing out.

"Those damn marines! That's what happened!"

* * *

 _ **~FlashBack~**_

* * *

 _After Ace and Dadan had defeated Bluejam, they began heading towards the bandits hut. Unfortunately, Dadan suffered severe burns which slowed them down quite a bit, and complied with the fact the nobles had hired soldiers to make sure no survivors were left, the two were basically stuck. Ace had done his best at hiding them, occasionally risking it and rushing off to get some herbs Makino taught him to soothe pain. But Ace knew that wasn't enough. Dadan needed a doctor, and he could use one himself. He began to curse as he thought of what slim chances they had._

 _"Ace." Ace immediately turned to Dadan, the anger on his face replaced with worry and slight guilt. He rushed over. "Dadan! You finally woke up. How are you feeling? Are the herbs helping?"_

 _Dadan brushed him off, instead looking him dead in the eye. "Listen Ace. Leave me."_

 _"WH-"_

 _Dadan shushed him. Reminding him people were looking for them. It worked, effectively quitting the raven. Seeing he was about to speak again, Dadan cut him off, earning an annoyed glare from the freckled boy._

 _"Listen kid. Before you say anything, think of Luffy." Dadan could see she struck a cord as she saw Ace's face twitch. As much as it pained her, she knew using Ace's weakness was the only chance she had of him leaving her._

 _"He's waiting for you. He needs you Ace. You can't die here. I'm old, I don't have much longer anyway. So listen to me when I saw you need to leave me, it's the only way."_

 _Dadan closed her eyes as she waited for him to agree._

 _"No."_

 _Her eyes bolted open as she almost choked Ace. She began to whisper yell._

 _"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO BRAT?!"_

 _"I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!"_

 _"DAMNIT BRAT! DO YOU NEED TO DISAGREE WITH EVERYTHING I SAY!"_

 _A rusting in the leaves turned both their attention. Ace cursed, thinking they were in a place no one would think to look. He didn't have enough time to hide both himself and Dadan in time. He cursed, stress filling him up as he got into a fighting position._

 _"So, You must be Roger's son huh?"_

 ** _(_ And that is it for today folks. Dies. Let me know what you think of this new idea! Did you like it? Or did you want to burn it at the stake. Either way let me know! I really appreciate it! Remember to follow, favorite, review, all that jazz. I have quite a bit of chapter two written so it should be out relatively soon. So keep an eye out! Bye for now!**

 **-Axx)**


	2. The Choices He Makes

**(Hey guys! Holy crap 51 follows! Damn I didn't even think this would get over twenty! xD Thanks to all those who favorited, followed, and even greater thanks to those who took the time to review! Enjoy the chapter! Bye for now!**

 **-Axx)**

 **~Review Responses:**

 **Mutteringsandramblingd: Well here you are! :)**

 **AnyMoreBrightIdeasGenius: Thanks! Ps. I love your name xD.**

 **Poemado: Thanks for reviewing! Naw. I don't have any plans to stop any of my fics. I've just been really busy with both school and working. But now that things are more chill, and I've got my life sorted a little better, I'm gonna make more of an effort to work on these fics. This one and Mark's Of One's Fate are probably my top priority, but I wanted to rewrite Of Phoenix and Flames past one of these days, and fix up Mercenary.**

 **XxAceLawxX: *Takes a moment to party with you.* HELL YEAH MY BRETHREN, ACE IS MY FAVE TOO! *Clears throat awkwardly*. Heh.. Anyways thanks so much for your review, it was really motivating! There will be much WB/ASL bonding I assure you... But first I HAVE TO MAKE THEM SUFFER! MUHAHAHA! *Clears throat again* Yeah… I may or may not need a therapist… So, I actually had first written this chapter with a lot of Sabo Pov's in it, but there were too many time skips so I had to fix it to make it less confusing. The first chapter was about it for Aokiji centered things. Now it's going to the trio. And I actually don't mind Sengoku that much, which was why I made him sort of a goodish character. I feel like he's kinda similar to Issho. He has his own sense of Justice, but the majority of the time he has to do what his higher ups say.**

 **StarliteOracle: Why thank you!**

 **J-swan: Well here you are! xD Welcome to the ASL/Whitebeard obsession club! We have cookies and tears. Thanks for the review.**

* * *

 _ **The Choices We Make….Chapter 2….**_

* * *

" _So… You must be Roger's son. Huh?"_

 _Ace quickly turned away from Dadan. Horror struck on his face. Within seconds he was in a fighting position, teeth clenched as he forced away the pan. He glared at the marine._

" _Who are you?! What do you want?!"_

" _Hmm…"_

 _Aokiji looked at the disheveled child with interest, eyes scanning him over. Ace felt extreme discomfort being under the other's stare, his eyes hardened as he became angrier._

" _WHAT!? ANSWER ME!"_

 _If the admiral was phazed by the kid he didn't show it._

" _I want to make you a deal."_

 _Before Ace could say anything, Dadan started moving. Ace turned around, the anger in his eyes flashed away by worry. He tried to stop her from moving, fearing she was making her injuries worse._

" _DADAN!"_

 _But Dadan ignored him, instead pushing the freckled raven out of the way as she glared at Aokiji. She was panting at the overexertion, but that didn't stop her voice from being terrifying._

" _You! If you want this brat you're going to have to go through me first!"_

" _DADAN! STOP!"_

" _SHUT UP ACE!"_

 _Ace flinched, taken aback by Dadan's harsh words. He clenched his teeth as he watched the silent standoff, ready to jump and defend the orangette if needed. His eyes widened when instead of attacking, the admiral just sat down across from them. He completely disregarded Dadan as he made himself comfy._

" _Anyways, back to the deal."_

" _OI! DON'T JUST IGNORE ME! ITE!"_

 _Dadan yelled, yelping when her pain spiked at her sudden movements. In pain, she complied as Ace pushed her back down and tended to the disturbed wounds, still keeping a watchful eye on the marine. The ice user waited patiently for the raven to speak first, which he did after fixing Dadan's injuries. Ace glared at him._

" _What do you want? How did you find out about me?!"_

 _Aokiji scratched his head._

" _Well, to be honest I wasn't completely sure, but considering your reaction, that pretty much answers it."_

 _Ace felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. He had just, albeit unintentionally, screwed himself over. He growled, looking at the other with what could only be described as a feral look, then snapped._

" _Now what? Are you going to take me back to the marines?! Have me tortured?! Have me executed!? Hell! Maybe bring my head back as a trophy!? After all the son of Roger is a-"_

" _Devil child." Aokiji finished for him, once again unfazed by the hateful glares sent his way. Ignoring the furious boy, he continued._

" _All those having or had connections to the late pirate king, Gold Roger are criminals in the eyes of the law. That's why as the son, and presumed only son, of this captain, I'm taking you, and only you, as you have no connections to anyone else on this island, making you the only recipient of guilt, to be imprisoned for your crimes of affiliation."_

 _Tension filled the air as Ace's eyes met with the blank, almost questioning stare of the admiral. Neither of them moved, but the message was clear to Ace. He was being given an option. Ace clenched his fists as his eyes went overcast._

" _Tch…" He snapped up, staring at the admiral with a strong, hard glare._

" _And if I refuse to cooperate?"_

 _Aokiji shrugged, clearing displaying his lack of care for which Ace choose._

" _Then I'll drag you back by force, and there's no telling what'll happen to the women and the strawhat brat."_

 _Ace flinched as his little brother's smiling face flashed through his mind. 'Luffy…' He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists till they started to turn pale and shake. As much as he loved his freedom… he loved Luffy more. He wouldn't let Luffy suffer for being with a devil like him. He nodded his head, no hesitations as he knew his answer._

" _Fine."_

" _Wait a minute brat!"_

 _He ignored Dadan as his stare stayed fixated on the marine. He crossed his arms._

" _And nothing will happen to the people of this island?"_

" _If you comply there's no reason to."_

 _Ace nodded._

" _Dadan gets back to the bandits safely before we go," Ace stated, no sign of a questioning tone in his voice. Aokiji shrugged._

" _Sure."_

* * *

 **~End of FlashBack~**

* * *

The bandits crowded around her as she spoke, eyes wide at the revelation.

"W-What happened after Boss? Did you stop him?"

Dadan sighed, clenching her fists.

"I tried." She paused, gritting her teeth as the words hesitated to come out. "I don't know what that bastard did, but one moment I was screaming my head off, and the next I wake up outside the house."

Dadan continued talking, regret and guilt laced in her voice, but Luffy wasn't listening anymore. The raven stood in the hall, hidden from their view. He started shaking, eyes wide as he processed what he just heard. ' _Ace is gone?'_ He felt numb. ' _...Ace is gone..?'_ He repeated in his head, as if he didn't believe it. ' _Ace is….gone?'_ Suddenly his world began to collapse. ' _ACE!'_ Forgetting about the bandits, only one thing clogged his mind. _Ace_. No hesitation anywhere, he ran to the door, flinging it open and disappearing into the woods in a flash. He ran as fast as he could, ignoring the burning in his lungs and legs. It didn't matter to him. Luffy knew only one thing, he wasn't about to lose Ace too. He couldn't… and he wouldn't. Not if he could help it.

* * *

~...~

* * *

He could taste it. Freedom. Staring up into the vast clear blue sky, a smile erupted onto his face. This was it. He was finally free. Snapping out of his daze, his attention turned to the giant flashy vessel in front of him. _'Damn! Sure as hell don't want to get crushed by that. I better move.'_ Firmly grasping the wheel, he spun the controls, successfully sending the small boat out of the way. _'I hope Ace and Luffy will understand... Ace, take care of him for me. I'll be sure to write.'_ His face solemn as he thought about what he left behind, he sighed. Shaking his head he quickly remembered that this was the only way. _'Ace, Luffy, I'm sorry. But It seems I'll be setting out before you guys.'_ Again a toothy grin found its way onto his face. The sound of cheers filled his ears. He looked back, seeing all the nobles and townspeople cheering. He scoffed, glaring at his former life. _'Never again._

 _This time Sabo, you're finally fr-'_

"SABO!"

He jumped in surprise, spinning around at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Lu-"

"FIRE!"

His attention once again switched as fire filled his vision. Somehow missing him, he looked around in horror as his ship was engulfed in flames. Pulling off his coat he tried snuffing the flames. He turned his head to the culprits. _'Damnit! What the hell?'_ His eyes widened as he saw the larger ship already prepared to send another canon. He didn't have much time. Sabo had to make a choice. Eyes darting around at the damage to his boat, and back to the culprits. His eyes then turned to the shore, where he could barely make out the little blur that was his beloved younger brother. He clenched his teeth before making a decision. _'DAMNIT!'_

"DIE TRASH!"

Sabo jumped. Fire engulfing where he once stood, till all that remained of his ship was ashes, floating meaninglessly.

"SABO!"

* * *

 **(And that is that folks. Let me know what you think, as always reviews are oh so greatly appreciated, as well as follows and favorites! Next chapter should have some Whitebeard's in it, though I wont tell who… and do you guys think I need a beta reader. Btw I don't know how that works. And would anyone be interested in being said beta reader if I decide to have one? Well that's about it, so till next time! Bye for now!**

 **-Axx)**


	3. And Then There Was Two

**Hey guys! I am back again, and this time I am motivated as fuck. I apologize if last chapter seemed a bit rushed, in all honesty it kind of was, but now I'm gonna focus more on quality rather than trying to update shit quick. Thanks to all of those who favorited, followed, and even greater thanks to those who took time out of their precious day to review! It really means alot to me, every single one, and I do take advice given, quite thankfully too... Is that correct grammar? Whatever… Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Reviewer Responses**

 **AnyMoreBrightIdeasGenius: Thanks man! I'll be sure to rip out your heart first though! :D**

 **Guest: Thanks man! Sorry about the rushing though, that was the last thing I wanted. I'll be sure to try to slow it down in future chapters.**

 **SarkuHD: Nah it's great enough that you reviewed at all man! Thanks so much for the compliments, I'm over here gushing at your kind words. I plan to go all out on this story so don't you worry. And I would really like to thank you for reminding me about the whole they can still suffer thing. I actually spent a long time thinking about this and how to apply it to my story. And frickin damn did I come up with a good plan. Like literally I think it's gonna be amazing. Though it may take a few chapters to actually happen. Anyways thanks again for your review! And thanks alot for your advice, you just made the future story a whole lot better…. (Virtual hug)**

 **Guest: Well here you are friend!**

 **XxAceLawxX: xD Aw thanks man! I feel horrible for doing that to the trio but it must be done! If you think that's bad wait till you see what'll be done in the future… *Cackles evilly* They'll get their happiness later…. Probably. ;) You're right now that I think about it, you usually can't tell the author's favorite character. We're all jerks who like making them suffer. And I'm so sorry man! I wrote the comment reveiws like a day or two apart, cuz I'm inconsistent as hell, and I kinda forgot. You're like my first mate in my obsession group so you are entitled to all the cookies you could possibly imagine! *Proceeds to shower you in cookies*. But really though, I love your responses always, they always make me gush and smile, I really hope you enjoy the story.**

* * *

Sabo kicked, thrashing around in the rapidly warming water as he fought his way to the surface. Remains of his boat floated aimlessly as everything slowly calmed down. Just as he almost reached the surface, he was pushed back down. A charred piece of wood slammed into his eye, sending him sinking back down. The air in his lungs helplessly escaped, his body going limp. His vision started to blur.

' _Luffy…'_

He felt a strong pair of arms wrap around him as he faded consciousness.

* * *

Sabo felt light. He groaned as he tried fighting to open his eyes. His vision blurry as he gazed around the room, recognizing nothing. He heard muffled voices.

"...-san…..this…...late...why…?!"

He groaned again, vision clearing as their attention turned to him. He could make out several gasps.

"He's avake!"

"W-Where am I?"

Sabo's voice was dry, causing him to burst out into a coughing fit at the sudden use of his voice. He was given a glass of water in response.

"Vou're on Dragon's ship. Ve're revolutionaries."

"T-Thank you."

Quickly downing the water, he sighed in relief as his throat felt much better.

"Revolutionaries? I've never heard of them." He questioned.

"Vell I'd be more shocked if you said you did. Now boy, vhat happened to you?! Dragon brought you on the ship half-dead, vhy would you set out to your death like that?!"

Sabo rubbed at his head, meeting with many bandages. His memories were fuzzy, but they were slowly coming back. He tried to recall, groaning at the pain in his head.

"I-I was setting sail. I had to leave this place! I.. I couldn't take it any longer." Sabo clenched his fists as his eyes shadowed. "I didn't know they would shoot like that. I-I thought-"

' _SABO!'_

Sabo stopped, all the blurry memories suddenly becoming clear. His eyes widened as he remembered something he never thought he would forget. He gasped.

"LUFFY!"

"Oh?"

The revolutionists stared at him, curiosity at his sudden outbreak. Though Sabo didn't see it, Dragon's eyes narrowed, while Iva's widened in curiosity.

"Luffy?"

Sabo nodded, brows furrowed and frown clearly showing. He clenched the blanket, before looking at them helplessly.

"My brother! He was there when I got shot down.. Oh god! Luffy must think I'm dead!"

Sabo began panicking. ' _Why was Luffy there?! Where's Ace?...The fire! Oh thank god, Luffy you survived… I knew you would. Ace… Why weren't you there!.. Calm down Sabo, you could've just not seen him.. Damnit I don't like this. I have a bad feeling…'_

Iva turned and whispered in Dragon's ear. Sighing, the revolutionary nodded. Interrupting Sabo's panic attack, the purple head coughed, getting the younger's attention. The blond looked up at the man, worry still on his face.

"So kid… Now that you're conscious, you should probably get back to your brother. We can't stay here for much longer."

Sabo nodded, looking down at the sheets. He knew it would be risky to go back, but he also knew he couldn't bother his saviors any longer. Besides… Luffy's terrified scream was burned into his mind. He couldn't shake off the clenching of his heart everytime he remembered it. He clenched his fists, he had to go back.

"Yeah. How long have I been unconscious?"

* * *

 _(2 days ago)_

* * *

" _SABO!"_

 _Luffy's eyes widened as he saw the flames overtake his brother's ship. His eyes became wet as he began shaking._

" _No…"_

 _Blobs of tears poured down his face. He ran forward, stumbling in his haste, heading to the beach, screaming Sabo's name. He reached the end of the sand, ready to jump in, when he felt hands wrapped around him, stopping him midway._

" _Luffy stop it!"_

 _He screamed and kicked, mind blank as he continued shouting his brother's name, tears waterfalling down his face._

" _NO! GET OFF ME! SABO!"_

" _DAMNIT BRAT!"_

 _He was suddenly turned around, hands firmly his shoulders as he was violently shook._

" _LISTEN LUFFY! SABO IS GONE! IF YOU TRY TO GO OUT THERE YOU'LL DIE!"_

 _Dogra tried to knock some sense into Luffy, eyes moist as he continued. He took a moment to rub the moisture off his eyes, trying to calm himself down as well._

" _Luffy we have to get you out of here. It's not safe with the Celestial Dragons visiting. Come on kid, I'm bringing you back. Has dadan and Ace come back yet?"_

 _Luffy's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered by he was here in the first place. The poor kid looked utterly broken as he clenched the bandit's shirt, tears and snot dripping down his face as he looked up at him desperately._

" _ACE! He got taken by the marines! I HAVE TO GO AFTER HIM!"_

 _Dogra's hands tightened on Luffy's shoulders. His eyes shadowed as he shook his head._

" _No."_

" _No?" Luffy echoed, eyes widening. But as quickly as his surprise came, it was replaced with anger. His brows furrowed as he began to voice his disapproval "WHY?!"_

 _The bandit clenched his teeth, then snapped up, looking at Luffy with a hardened stare._

" _IT'S TOO DANGEROUS! LUFFY YOU CAN'T SET OUT ALONE, YOU'LL GET KILLED!"_

 _He grabbed Luffy, struggling to pick up the fighting boy._

" _NO! I'M GOING AFTER ACE!"_

" _NO YOU'RE NOT! ACE AND SABO WOULD NEVER FORGIVE ME IF I LET SOMETHING HAPPEN TO YOU! WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE HUT, AND THAT'S FINAL!"_

 _But that didn't stop Luffy. He continued thrashing around with all his might, shouts of his unapproval ringing through the forest as Dogra struggled to carry him back._

" _Dammit Luffy stop struggling! How are you even this strong!?"_

" _NEVER! LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SAVE ACE!"_

" _I TOLD YOU NO!"_

 _Luffy looked around desperately, the ocean slowly disappearing from his view. More tears streamed down his face as he began to wear himself out. 'Ace!..' He thought helplessly._

* * *

… **Back to the Present...**

* * *

Sabo bowed.

"Thank you again so much. For everything."

He had been dropped off on the other side of the island near the forest. It was a good place, as not many would see him and/or the revolutionists that helped him. Sabo felt forever indebt to them, and made sure to make that known as he was handed a written copy of instructions for his wounds.

"I am forever indebt to you. I promise that one day I'll pay back my debt."

"Don't vorry about it Sabo-kun!"

Nodding again, the two groups separated without another word. Dragon and Iva piled back onto the ship, and were soon gone, as if they were never there. Sabo took a moment and softly smiled at the place the ship once was. He silently thanked them again, before turning and heading into the forest.

* * *

…

* * *

Luffy stopped screaming around a day ago, and the halting of the tears stopped soon after. The well inside him was dry, similar to how his heart felt. He had been tied up to a tree by the bandits to prevent him from once again escaping. He was fed every now and then, and Dadan came out every hour or so and asked the same thing.

"If I untie you, will you go after Ace?"

At first Luffy had attempted to lie, but it was no use. Anyone with a brain could see through his fibs. Now, he either responded with a firm 'yes', or not at all. Overall Luffy felt powerless. His brother was taken and he couldn't do anything about it. His brother was _killed_ and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He had started to imagine Sabo, his brain trying to fill the void. He heard a gasp, and figured his mind must be starting up again.

"L-Luffy?!"

Slowly he tilted his head up, tired puffy eyes resting on the figure he kept imagining. Sabo looked horrified at his brother's state. Sabo heard his brother mumble something, causing the blond to lean in closer with worry.

"Luffy?"

Suddenly Luffy became lively again. His face contorted with anger as he began to scream at Sabo.

"I SAID GO AWAY! YOU'RE NOT REAL, SABO'S GONE!"

"L-Luffy…"

The blond almost cried seeing his beloved happy-go-lucky brother like this. With shaky hands he reached up to the rope and began to untie them. He tried ignoring Luffy's shouts and the clenching of his heart in the process. Sabo heard multiple rushing footsteps as the ropes fell onto the floor and Luffy onto him. ' _The bandits must've heard us.'_ Sabo thought as he wrapped his arms around Luffy, trying to stop his brother's struggling. He ran his hands through his brother's raven locks.

"Luffy...shh...It's okay...I'm here…"

"What's going on out here!?"

Dadan's voice rang out as the bandits arrived at the scene. What they found shocked them. All of their eyes widened.

"SABO?!"

Suddenly Luffy fell limp, causing Sabo to freeze with worry. Sabo sighed in relief as Luffy pushed himself up and instead stared Sabo directly in the eyes as he sat on his brother's lap. His big brown eyes looked into Sabo's pastel blue ones as they widened.

"Wait...If they can see you then…"

The straw-hatted boy gasped, and in the blink of an eye was once again sobbing. He wrapped his arms around Sabo as he bawled into the other's shoulders.

"SHHHHAAABOU!"

Sabo softly smiled, a few tears escaping his eyes. He clenched his brother as tightly as Luffy held him. The two sat there uninterrupted for a few minutes, but both of them savoured the little time greatly. None of the bandits wanted to interrupt the two reunited brothers, so they stood on the sidelines with smiles and, though none of them would admit it, a few tears were shed. Sabo couldn't bear to pull away from Luffy, but finally Luffy had pulled away from him. Sabo looked at the snot and tears littering Luffy's face and almost laughed, wiping off his own wet eyes. He was reminded of just how much he had missed his brothers. ' _...brothers…'_

"Hey…"

Sabo looked around. He had been expected to be greeted by both of them. The shock and happiness he felt from seeing Luffy again made him forget about his other freckled brother. He was surprised Ace hadn't come out and beat him for trying to leave without them. The uneasiness he had felt from seeing Luffy before at the docks alone without Ace returned.

"Luffy… Where's Ace?"

Suddenly the air got thick. Everyone's eyes avoided his, including Luffy who's eyes shadowed. His younger brother pulled on his hat, moving it down over his eyes as he frowned. He tried looking around for an answer on everyone's strange behavior. He looked at Dadan, who looked back at his with a hard expression. She sighed, and her tone cut through the thick air.

"We need to talk."

* * *

…

* * *

"DAMNIT!"

The man paced back and forth his well decorated room. His wife and son stood off to the side, trying to calm the man down.

"Honey calm down!"

"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN!? WE'RE GOING TO BE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE COUNTRY!"

"F-Father…"

"SHUT UP STELLY! THIS IS ALL BECAUSE YOUR BASTARD BROTHER DECIDED TO GO AND PLAY PIRATE!"

Outlook clenched his fists, anger and resentment clad on his face. Stelly looked at his father terrified while he clutched his mother. Mrs. Outlook shook her head.

"This never would've happened if Sabo didn't meet those dirt street rats! They poisoned the mind of my son!"

Suddenly Outlook stopped pacing, instead running over to a drawer and rummaging around.

"You're right love. This is all their fault. I know how we can save our reputation…"

He pulled out a baby den den mushi, a sick grin spreading on his face. He dialed a memorized number, and waited while the phone rang.

"Purrap…...Purrap…..Purrap…..Hello?"

"Hello Navy, I would like to place bounties of two criminals. They set the lower part of our country on fire, killing hundreds! They even blackmailed my son to sail out and got him killed! I'm scared of what they'll do next."

The sound of a pen was heard through the phone as the marine wrote down the information given.

"Okay, do you have name or alias of these criminals sir?"

"Only first names. Brothers Ace and Luffy, I'll fax you some pictures."

"Okay."

It was a few moments before the marine got the photos. His eyes widened as he saw the pictures.

"S-Sir these are-"

"Children I'm well aware. Their age is irrelevant as I assure you these are spawns of the devil."

"...I don't know about this sir. Do you have any proof?"

The noble became angry as he clenched the phone.

"THE ONLY PROOF YOU'LL NEED IS THE RESIGNATION LETTER YOU'LL RECEIVE IF YOU DON'T DO WHAT I SAY!"

"..Understood Sir."

* * *

 **(Okay guys. I know I said a Whitebeard pirate would be in this chapter…..buttt I lied. So...uh...sorry about that. Don't worry though they'll show up in due time! Remember to favorite, follow, and review if u new boo boo! (Someone plex get that reference). Until next time guys! Bye for now!**

 **-Axx)**


	4. The Paths Of Three

**(Hey guys! I'm back again! ...Yeah …. Yea….. I graduated yesterday and today's my birthday! Yes my birthdate is 69. Hehe. Plz don't think of my less because of that shitty joke. So I thought I'd try to get a chapter in, to celebrate. Enjoy the chap!**

 **-Reviewer Responses-**

 **weirdhumoredFan: Me too man, they seriously make me just… EUGH! Unfortunately I need Ace and Luffy to be wanted for future chapters so that needed to happen, but that's the only fic time Sabo's dick parents are allowed in this story if it makes you feel better. (Unless I change my mind later) Thanks for the review!**

 **SarakuHD: First off I have to compliment how well versed you are in grammar and writing. You clearly know your stuff man! Then I have to thank you for your review and all the wonderful advice you've given me. Also, I think I'm gonna continue betta-ing by myself. The fact that someone so well versed in writing and stuff slightly intimidated me, but also motivated me to step up my writing game.**

 **I haven't forgotten about Sabo's injuries, they'll be mentioned for a while till they fully heal in a few months. As for the noble, to be honest I didn't care much for writing him. The only thing I really needed from his little part was that Ace and Luffy are now wanted, which will be important in future parts of the story. I know I could've written him better, but I guess laziness got the best of me in that one. I will take your emphasis advice though, that is actually a really writing technique I'm surprised I didn't know, and I'll also try to fix the grammar mistake as well in the future.**

 **I'm glad I managed to make you care so much about this story man! And I literally love the advice you give, it's all really helpful. And don't worry, I'm right down there with you in ASL/WBP hell. Thanks again for the review! *Virtual hug and I give u cookie for your help***

 **Black' Victor Cachat: Yeah Dragon is sorta a tough nut to write. It's really hard to tell what he's thinking, so I'll leave that up to reviewer interpretation.**

 **AnyMoreBrightIdeasGenius: Right there with you man. No promises btw ;).**

 **Yuzukikuran476: My small children will be safe one day, I assure you… after they suffer first. Also I agree, Ace was my favorite and he shouldn't have died. *Cries* Still not over it. Anyways...Uh….50 to 70 chapter soon….*Collapses at the thought*. Maybe one day It'll get up to that high, but I am not that talented nor do I have the attention span to pull that off. Who knows though? Anyways, as I see you've delved deep into a One PIece crazy phase, as I had, I shall wish you good luck. Btw if you're looking for a long ASL/WBP story, I highly recommend Somewhere to Belong. The author finished it around a year ago, and it holds a place as one of my all time favorite stories. Very well written. Anyways thanks for the review, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **XxAceLawxX: xD You're probably one of my favorite viewers dude. Sabo's 'parents' are complete assholes, I totally agree. *Chucks them down into hell with Akainu* Hehe. I'm a horrible person for writing this angst I know. Nah man I like reading the responses you have to the responses I have of the responses you inflicted on my story. B). I squirrel all the time man. Enjoy the chap! Thanks as always for the review!**

 **J-swan: *joins you***

* * *

 **Onto The Chapter…..**

* * *

Sabo gulped, mind trying to process all the information Dadan had just handed him. He sighed, bringing his hand up to his face. It was as if fate hated him. As soon as he got back to his brothers something else came along to split them up.

"Damnit….Ace…."

He knew he couldn't be mad at his brother, as much as he wanted to, and somewhat was, for giving himself up, considering how that would've been hypocritical. He softly cursed, moving his hand down next to his clenched teeth. To be honest he didn't know what to do, and that _scared_ him. On one hand, a strong part of himself willed him to go after them, and save Ace no matter the cost. On the other, his gaze turned to his little brother, who hadn't left his side since he came back. Big, chocolate eyes stared up at him. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Luffy was thinking. He wanted to go after Ace. Sabo knew he had to not only consider himself and his injuries, but the consequences Luffy could face, as he would without a doubt follow Sabo if he chose to go after their freckled brother. Losing Ace _hurt_ , a lot, but Sabo knew if he lost Luffy as well, it would destroy him. Suddenly Sabo felt a tug on his shirt. He looked down at Luffy, and was met with a determined face.

"Sabo! We have to go after Ace!" Luffy's gaze switched to the floor, before snapping back up at Sabo, droplets of tears spilling from his face.

"I don't want to be free if it means Ace isn't!"

Sabo's eyes widened at his brother's outbreak. Suddenly his feelings of hesitation turned to guilt. His mind flashed back to back when he had first met Ace.

* * *

 _ **~Flashback~**_

* * *

" _Hey Sabo?"_

 _Sabo looked over to his new friend. They had met a while ago, when they both tried to rob the same guy, and escaped together. He was extremely different from any 'friend' Sabo had back in high town, no, more like the complete opposite. And Sabo liked that. He looked up from the treasure he was counting. The two of them had fought well together, and they both recognized the compatibility. Then the duo became something along the lines of partners in crime._

" _Yeah?"_

 _The freckled boy had a somewhat shy grin on his face, as he turned and looked out at the sea._

" _What's your dream?"_

 _Sabo blinked. No one had ever asked him that before. Back in his 'home' he grew up with expectations. Everything was laid out for him. He was supposed to do well in school, and eventually marry a girl from an even richer family. The blond's mood darkened just thinking about that, and he suddenly felt glad at his choice of running away._

" _What's your dream Ace?"_

 _Ace smiled softly, his raven hair dancing around his face due to the wind. Sabo was a little shocke. In all the time he knew Ace, he only had an annoyed, angry, or mischievous look on his face. He looked… almost peaceful, yet… tired? For some reason it made Sabo feel a little sad looking at him._

" _I just wanna be free, and live my life the way I want to."_

 _Suddenly Ace's emotions changed, and he looked at Sabo with a wide grin. He laughed._

" _Stupid dream huh?"_

* * *

 **~End FlashBack~**

* * *

A soft smile unconsciously crawled back onto his face as he recounted on their memories together. No way was he going to let Ace throw away his dream for them. He ruffled the raven's hair as his smile got bigger. Since when was Luffy so persuasive?

"You're right Lu."

A toothy grin was now on his face, perfectly fitting the blond boy.

"Let's go save that idiot!"

His grin was infectious, as a wide smile erupted on Luffy's face. Meanwhile the bandit's faces were the opposite. Unsure frowns and worried looks plagued the rest of the room's population. They looked at each other, all having similar thoughts.

"Sa-" A worried Magra started, eyes widening as he was cut off.

"Go."

Dadan's arms were crossed, and her expression unreadable. The bandits looked at her in shock, and soon shouts of unapproval were voiced.

"But Boss!-"

The woman held up her hand, signaling them to stop talking. She shook her head at them, and looked back at the duo. She rubbed at her head, groaning.

"Garp is so gonna have my ass for this… Give that brat a good beating for me when you find him."

Sabo looked at her surprised, then his expression quickly turned back to a grin as he laughed.

"Thanks Dadan!"

Sabo pulled Luffy up as they both got to their feet. The brothers quickly headed to the door. After a moment of consideration Dadan stopped them, making Sabo nervous she changed her mind, and ready to grab Luffy and bolt.

"Hold on one second."

Sabo stopped, much to Luffy's impatience. The raven whined as Dadan walked over to her room. After a few moments the bandit came back, a bag in hand. Sabo looked at her confused a she handed it to him.

"Supplies." She answered, and seeing his confusion she elaborated. "Some medical stuff to keep you brats alive and money for when you run out."

Sabo exhaled, looking up to her with a grateful grin.

"Dada-"

She waved her hands, cutting him off.

"Just get out of my face now. I've been dying to get rid of you brats since you got here, and you're already two days behind the marine ship."

Dadan shook her head as the words came out halfheartedly. Sabo grinned, grabbing Luffy's hand. Just before he headed out, he tilted his head back.

"Dadan!"

"What now?!"

"Though Ace would never admit it, we always thought of you as our mother. Thanks for everything!"

The boys disappeared out the door as Dadan erupted in tears, loud curses and insults flying as the bandits failed to calm her down. Sabo grinned as he heard her loud yell.

"Those damn brats!"

Suddenly Sabo's grin was wiped off his face. He had a thoughtful look now on. He and Luffy headed towards the docks, though much slower than they normally would've been able to. Sabo wasn't stupid. He knew that he couldn't just expect to head on face the ship, win, and get Ace back. That was something Ace would assume. No. He had to come up with a plan. After all, it wasn't just his own life he was risking, but Luffy's as well.

It took them much longer than normal to arrive at the docks. Sabo mentally cursed, knowing that their injuries could become a liability in Ace's rescue. They were already two days behind, and had no knowledge of where the ship was heading too, he didn't want to add any disadvantages than they already had. Luffy was pretty much wrapped in bandages and he wasn't much better himself. He gazed around when they reached the dock. They wasn't any people surprisingly, making him a little skeptical on how easy taking a boat would be. Then he saw the ship. The same one who had tried to blow him up not two days earlier. His gaze darkened looking at it, before he turned away, pulling Luffy with him.

"C'mon Luf."

Luffy nodded. He glared at the ship, wishing he could kick the nobles' asses who hurt Sabo. As much as he wanted to, Ace came first. He filed a mental picture of the boat away, mentally noting to kick their ass at a later date. He looked at his blond brother, who still had a dark expression on his face. Luffy felt bad that Sabo felt bad. He didn't want Sabo to be sad. His face began to turn red as he tried thinking of a way to make his brother feel better. Suddenly it clicked. Maybe he could turn Sabo's thinking elsewhere. He nodded to himself, and mentally complimented his thinking.

"So Sabo?" Sabo was a little ways ahead of Luffy, trying to look for a boat that wasn't to fancy but was also fast.

"Yeah Lu?"

"What's the plan. How do we get Ace back?"

Sabo looked back at Luffy, surprised at his brother's question. Maybe Luffy was taking more after Sabo then Ace after all.

"Are we gonna kick their asses?"

Nope. More like Ace.

Sabo sighed.

"Once we find a good ship we're going to do some research. We can sail to the islands around here and see if they know where Ace will be taken, and or if they've seen the ship. We're a ways behind them already, so catching up and taking Ace from the ship is not a likely possibility."

"Okay. How about this ship?"

Sabo looked over to where Luffy pointed. It was actually not that bad. It was a simple wooden ship, with a white flag and a cabin. Overall it was perfect for the two of them. Sabo grinned, and ruffled his little brother's hair as he headed to the ship, Luffy following suit.

Sabo took the wheel after he put the medicine in the cabin. He pulled up the anchor and set the sails. Soon the two of them were off.

* * *

 _ **~Meanwhile~**_

* * *

"N-No..Please! I'll do anything! J-Ju-"

The man screamed in horror as the larger of the two lunged for him, sword in hands. It took only a few minutes, and then the 'fight' was over. Blood was splattered everywhere. The man's corpse lay on the ground, with the missing exception of his head, which was quickly stuffed into a bag by the man's killer. The tall man grunted, and pulled some paper out of his pocket. Shuffling through them, he found the one he was looking for. The paper read:

 **-Wanted-**

 **Dead or Alive**

 **Blue Claw Cryle**

 **5,000 Beli**

After making sure the man who he killed was the man in the picture, the tanned man turned, and walked away, heading to a nearby marine base to collect his bounty.

* * *

 _ **~Somewhere in the New World~**_

* * *

"You sure you got everything?"

A sigh could be heard. The blond headed man was packing supplies into a bag, while an orange haired man watched.

"For the last time, yes yoi. I have everything."

"Well, _excuse_ me if I worry."

The man finished packing his bag, and after closing it securely, he picked it up and put it on. He turned to face the other, a lazy questioning look on his face.

"Are you okay, yoi? You're usually not this concerned about me going on missions."

The orangette shrugged.

"I dunno Marco. I've had this weird feeling ever since you got this mission."

Marco raised an eyebrow, now somewhat intrigued.

"Is it a bad feeling, yoi?"

The chef's face went kinda iffy, as if he wasn't sure. He debated with himself for a moment before answering.

"It's not like a bad feeling. Just… uh.. Maybe like somethings going to happen? I dunno… actually... just forget I said anything. I'm sure it's nothing."

Marco was curious, but honoring Thatch's wishes he let it go. The two then walked to the main deck, where they were met with the rest of the crew. They met up with one of the members, a blue shark like fishman. The fishman grinned when he saw them approaching.

"Hey Namur."

"Hey Marco. Hey Thatch. The boat's all ready when you are."

Marco nodded. Normally he flew to his missions, but since this particular one was somewhat far away, and the island requested him not draw too much attention to himself, he was stuck traveling with a boat. He didn't really mind it, as he was pretty well versed in navigation and boat mechanics. The only downside to taking a boat was it took longer.

"Yeah, yoi. I'm heading out now."

Marco headed over to the side where his boat was secured. Taking a moment to wave goodbye to his Captain, he quickly threw his bag into the vessel, himself following suit soon after. The ship then began to be lowered to the ocean. Remembering something, Thatch ran over to the side of the ship and peered over. He put his hand next to his mouth to make his voice louder as he called to Marco.

"Hey Marco? Can you pick me up some booze from the island? Crymie Island has some of the best sake ever, I swear. Not what you'd expect from East Blue."

Marco stood up, and waved his hand lazily.

"Gotcha yoi."

Marco could see Thatch grin as his brother disappeared, going back inside the ship. Turning towards the vast sea, Marco pulled out a map. The journey to the island took around a week by boat, if he was lucky with the weather. His eyes scanned over the map. ' _East blue huh? Wow, it's been awhile since I've been there.'_ Folding the map, he shoved it back into his pocket. He moved to take the wheel of the small vessel, and soon, he was off.

* * *

 **(So, what'd you guys think. My plot twist is close...hehehe. And the Whitebeards have finally made an appearance, I told you it would happen eventually. I wanna see if anyone can guess who the other guy is. I'll give you a hint. He's a small character from one of the arcs.. But anyways, hope you enjoyed the chap! Bye for now!**

 **-Axx)**


	5. For Them

**(Heyo! Axx is here, feel no fear. Hehe. Anyways, thanks to all those who Favorited, followed, and as always even specialer thanks to those who stopped and reviewed. Seriously. Reviews give me motivations so please do if you have the chance. Enjoy the chapter and all that**

 **jazz.**

 **~Review responses~**

 **StarliteOracle- Thanks!**

 **Yuzukikuran476- Your wish is my command. ;)**

 **JarOfIdeas- Omg dude I legit just realized your the person I've been betaing for xD… this is the third time I've looked at the review. I was like "… wait a second... that name looks familiar! OMG it's them!" Thanks man! :D Glad you like the story and gratitude for the birthday wishes! Hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks again for the review! ps I just found out you were the one who wrote Falling from the sky, that's one of my favorite stories, it awesome and like I love it so much. Also didn't mean for this to turn into a review but its an awesome plot and I'd love to see more.**

 **Black' Victor Cachat- Wait really? That's a thing? Eh I'm sure it's fine. He still has enough money to get by.**

 **Seth42- Thanks for the review! I actually plan to have Ace shown in either this chapter or the next. (I'm writing this response as I'm about halfway through the chap.) As for the arc… Alabasta.**

 **Littleditto- I dunno which dude your talking about but probably no. Thanks for the birthday wishes and review though!**

 **LuffyLover27- Yep, and thank you!**

 **XxAceLawxX- I know right! I'm glad I got you feeling what I felt writing it. I think I'm eventually just gonna write this story half sobbing. Same dude. *Adds to list of reasons as to why exactly I need a therapist* Aren't I such a 'good' person? Yep, poor Sabo's stuck being the brains. :) I think a fic like that would be cool, as both of them would totally do that… Wait I know Zoro's not a D but is Sabo? Did I miss something important? 0.0 I can't keep up with this D madness. Haha, you poor soul. I honestly didn't expect anyone to get it but someone actually did… or at least I count that as close enough. xD. You don't need a brain when you've got One Piece! *Or at least that what I tell myself.* Thatch is such a sweetheart though, the ultimate cinnamon bun. And naw dude, your reviews make me gush. I love long rambling reviews, probably cuz that's how I review as well, but really though, I do love your reviews, they brighten my day! :D**

" **Omg I love your story!" -XxAceLawxX**

 ***Dog ears appear and perk up* Story? Good? :D Praise yes! Moral of the story I love you too… I mean your reviews! Yeah! That! Phew. Nailed it! :D." -Axxit**

* * *

 _ **Onto the story… And special congrats to LuffyLover27 for guessing the bounty hunter, or at least guessing close enough. You win my respect and a virtual cake.**_

* * *

"Ow!"

"Please stay still Luf. I promise it'll be over soon."

"But Sabo! It hurts!"

"I know, and I'm sorry Luffy."

Sabo looked at his little brother with a sympathetic smile. It had been a while since his wounds had been checked, making Sabo question how long Luffy was tied up to the tree. He sighed. He didn't really approve, or appreciate, that the bandits stuck Luffy on a tree for almost two days, but he did have to admit Luffy probably would've done something stupid if he was loose. But still, Sabo cringed as he pulled off the bandages, which were almost stuck to his little brother due to being on for so long, they could've at least changed his bandages. Sabo clenched his teeth as he glared at his brother's body. It was red and bits of dried blood could be seen every now and then. Overall, not a pretty sight.

"Hold still okay? I need to wash off the wounds."

Luffy nodded, and let Sabo do as he said. Sabo worked carefully as he cleaned off the wounds. There was a lot of them, and although they might hinderance his brother's ability to fight, Luffy wasn't in life threatening danger, a fact of which Sabo was grateful for. Once he washed him off, Sabo took a step back, and looked Luffy over. He looked much better than he initially did, making the blond sigh in relief. Turning away, Sabo reached into the bag he was given, pulling out some disinfectant.

"Now this might sting, but bear with it, it'll make you feel better in the long run."

Luffy nodded again, and Sabo applied the disinfectant, wincing as Luffy flinched, clearly trying to hold in the tears. Once that was done with, Sabo wrapped Luffy back up with some fresh bandages. Finally done, he ruffled Luffy's hair and gave his little brother a soft smile. Content with Luffy's medical care, Sabo headed out to the deck, Luffy following suit.

"Hey Sabo?"

"Yeah?"

"Shouldn't you tend to your injuries too?"

Subconsciously, Sabo brought his hand to the bandage over his eye, the most notable injury he sustained from his ship being bombed.

* * *

 _ **~Flashback~**_

* * *

" _You've sustained quite a bit of burns Sabo-kun. From what I heard from Dragon, you might not even be alive if you hadn't managed to jump."_

 _Sabo nodded, feeling the bandage over his eye. Seeing this, Iva hummed and crossed his arms._

" _You are quite a lucky one Sabo-kun. If we had been any later in treating that, you might not have your eyesight in that eye… though I suppose it is going to leave quite a nasty scar."_

 _Sabo waved it off, grateful that he would still have vision in his left eye. His mind was still processing the fact that he wasn't dead._

" _That's fine. I couldn't have asked for more."_

* * *

 _ **~End Flashback~**_

* * *

A soft smile ghosted Sabo's face as he thought of the revolutionaries that saved him. He shook his head.

"I'll be fine. They were treated a little while ago. I'll retreat them later."

Luffy looked a little skeptical, but was soon distracted. A wide grin erupted on his face as the raven ran over to the side of the ship, and pointed to something in the distance.

"Sabo! Look! It's an island!"

Immediately Sabo ran over to where Luffy was, seeing the island for himself. The blond then ran to the wheel, changing course to go to the newly spotted land.

* * *

 _ **~TimeSkip~**_

* * *

The two boys hopped off, docking the ship. When they got a bit closer, Sabo had seen that the island was home to a marine base, and a rather large one at that. Sabo felt a bit of hope as he saw the island. It was a perfect place to get some clue of where Ace was being taken. He had grabbed the money from the ship, partially because he needed to buy somethings, and partially because he didn't want the money to get stolen, especially with the recent robbery of their pirate fund.

* * *

 _ **~Flashback again~**_

* * *

 _The two brothers were running to the docks, when suddenly the oldest made a sharp right, pulling the younger with him, as their hands were interlocked. The raven let out a cry of pain as they quickly shifted directions._

" _Ow! Sabo? Where are you going? The docks are that way!"_

 _The blonde glanced back, before turning his attention back to the forest in front of him._

" _I'm getting the money from the pirate fund. We'll need all the help we can get Luffy."_

 _Suddenly the raven slowed down, bringing Sabo's pace down with him. The blond turned and looked back at his brother in confusion._

" _Luffy? We have to hurry! Come on!" Sabo tried pulling his little brother, but Luffy wasn't budging._

" _Luffy?!"_

 _Luffy looked down at the floor, hat shadowing his eyes._

" _It's gone."_

" _What?"_

" _Bluejam… He probably took it by now. Ace told him where it was in return for him to let us go."_

 _Sabo's eyes widened as Luffy began to shake._

" _I-I'm sorry Sabo! I know it was yours and Ace's pirate fund… b-but… m-maybe if I wasn't there Ace wouldn't have-"_

" _Luffy."_

 _Sabo put his hands on Luffy's shoulders as the younger looked up. His eyes were watery, making Sabo feel a pain in his heart. He looked the raven straight in the eye, with a hard look._

" _Listen to me, it was Ace's decision to give up that treasure. It's not important, we can do without it. But Luffy, know this, you're more important to both of us than any treasure okay? And don't you forget that."_

 _Luffy nodded, wiping off his tears and snot._

" _Ace and Sabo too. You guys are my treasure!" Sabo's eyes widened at the compliment, before a grin made its way onto his face again. Grabbing his brother's hand, he changed course to the docks._

" _I thought your hat was your treasure?"_

" _Eh?!" Luffy gasped before shrugging. "Ah it's okay. I'll have three treasures!"_

* * *

 _ **~End Flashback~**_

* * *

"Hey Old Man!"

Sabo was pulled out of his mind as he heard Luffy's voice. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Luffy was a bit a ways ahead, and had called to a nearby fisherman.

"Who you calling Old Man, brat?"

Luffy just laughed, as Sabo caught up to the two. He quickly bowed.

"I'm sorry for my brother, he doesn't have much manners."

The man looked at them with a strange look.

"Hmm. Don't worry about it kid. I don't suppose you're from around these parts though?" The man whistled looking them over, "And from the looks of it you two have been through quite a bit."

"We're from Dawn Island. We're looking for our brother, he was taken by a marine."

"Taken by a marine? How long ago?"

The man raised an eyebrow, and Sabo nodded.

"Two days."

"Two days huh? I'm afraid he's not here. We haven't had a marine ship leave or enter these docks in over a week."

"I see. Well thank you anyways."

After waving goodbye to the old fisherman, Sabo decided to head into town. He figured he could both ask around for more intel, and maybe pick up a map so they knew where they were going.

* * *

 _ **~Timeskip~**_

* * *

It wasn't that long of a walk, and when they reached their destination, the two boys were met with a somewhat busy town. There were an abundance of street shops, selling all kinds of goods. Sabo looked around, making sure to keep his hand locked with Luffy as to not lose the other. It wasn't long before Sabo found a stand selling maps. The blond quickly went over to the stand, and was met with the quizzical, almost disgusted look of the tenant. Sabo rolled his eyes, remembering he didn't exactly look… normal.

"Um… Listen ki-"

Sabo quickly shut the man up by pulling out the bag of cash, showing that they were indeed customers. The man's face did a 180, and soon a smile was plastered onto his face.

"Oh! Well why didn't you say so! What can I get for you?"

Sabo was not impressed by the man's fake kindness, having lived the worst parts of his life around people of the similar caliber. Rolling his eyes again, he decided to not let it get to him.

"I'm looking for a map of East blue, and if possible the other blues as well."

As the man in the stand rummaged for what Sabo was looking for, the blond suddenly recalled he hadn't asked the man from before the name of the island.

"Excuse me? What's the name of this island?"

The man set the four maps on the counter.

"Shells Town."

Sabo thanked the Stall owner as he handed him the money, taking the four maps. He turned to his brother, who was being oddly quiet. Luffy looked to be almost sulking as Sabo heard his stomach rumble.

"I'm hungry…"

Sabo sighed as he shook his head.

"Let's go get something to eat then, okay?"

"YES! FOOD!"

Luffy excitedly pulled Sabo to a nearby diner, that reminded Sabo somewhat of Makino's bar. Sabo frowned sadly as he thought of Makino. The two of them hadn't even stopped to say goodbye. He shook his head again, mentally noting to send her a letter once they got Ace back.

When the two got inside they were met with odd looks, to which Sabo ignored as he lead Luffy to a table in the corner. Within a few minutes a waiter came over to them, hesitant to give them menus. Sabo sighed, showing them the money, even though the two would most likely be dine-and-dashing anyways. He looked down at his clothes. His favorite blue vest was burnt and torn in several places, and he was basically covered in bandages. He gazed over to his little brother, who didn't exactly look any better. When the waiter came back, Sabo ordered a bunch of meat for the two of them to share, although Luffy would probably eat most of it anyways. Sabo rested his head on his arm as he sighed. ' _Ace…'_ The two of them were sailing blindly currently, and Sabo knew that they weren't going to find Ace like this. Another sigh escaped his throat as plates were placed in front of him and his brother. The two of them immediately dug in.

"What? An admiral? Really? In East Blue?"

The floors squeaked as two marines walked towards the exit, passing by the two brother's table.

"Yep. Rumour has it he was sent on some type of secret mission. They say his ship was headed to Dawn Island."

Suddenly they had Sabo's full attention.

"Dawn Island? Isn't that where the Goa Kingdom is? Why would Admiral Aokiji need to go there?"

" I dunno man. The higher ups are being real quiet about it."

'Aokiji?' Sabo thought with narrowed look, just as the two men walked out the door. Sabo hummed as the waiter came back.

"How's everything?"

"Good. Pardon me but do you know of an Admiral Aokiji?"

The waiter's face shifted to confusion.

"Admiral Aokiji? What of him?"

"He might be the marine I'm looking for."

The waiter scoffed, and crossed his arms.

"Good luck with that kid. Can I get you anything else today?"

"No thank you."

"Alright, I'll get the check."

Sabo grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, ready to grab Luffy and dash.

"The two of you looking for Aokiji?"

Surprised at hearing the new voice, Sabo eyes darted to the source. Beside their table was a rather large, tanned man, sitting alone with a drink. He body was toned and several scars littered every now and then. The serious face didn't really help either. Sabo felt uneasy at the man's intimidating appearance, but before he could speak Luffy chimed in.

"We we-"

"He took our brother!"

"Luffy! We don't know that for sure, but.."

The man hummed as he took a sip from his drink.

"Admiral Aokiji. Roughly 6 feet, curly black hair, tanned skin, and always has a sleep mask on him?"

Sabo nodded as he recalled Dadan's depiction of the man.

"No offense kid, but I suggest you give it up now. If your brother was important enough to be taken by an admiral, chances are he's headed off to Impel Down."

"Impel Down?"

"The strongest prison hold under the World Government."

"Why are you telling us this?"

The man shrugged, downing the rest of his drink.

"I was bored."

Saying no more, the man got up, put some coins on the table, and walked away. Sabo hummed as the other left. This was good news. It meant that the two of them would no longer be blindly sailing.

"Alright Luff." Sabo dusted himself off, moving to get up. He nodded to his younger brother as he as well began to get up.

"We're headed to Impel Down."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

* * *

He stared up at the ceiling, hands fixed behind his head as he felt the subtle rocking of the ship. He sighed, his mind drifting to something he'd been thinking a lot about recently. Two distinct smiles flashed in his brain. ' _Luffy...Sabo…'_ He felt bad about leaving them, he really, _really_ did, but his brothers' lives outweighed his freedom any day. And that's what he would continue to tell himself. He sighed as he heard the footsteps he had been dreading. Turning over, he forced an indifferent face as he stared at the admiral, who stood cross armed in the door frame.

"We're here."

He slowly forced himself up, going to follow Aokiji off the boat. He swallowed as he saw what lay ahead off the ship. His eyes widened, and breath quickened as he came in to turn with the reality of the situation. He felt a hand on his back, as the admiral he had traveled with pushed him towards his fate. He was a few feet away from what looked to be the boss or leader of the prison staff. He was a large man, clad in black. His sharp teeth, bat wings, and horns made him look like the devil in Ace's opinion. Looking at him Ace felt a chill in his stomach. He immediately glared at the man, only to be returned with an indifferent look.

"So this is the kid."

"Mhm."

The large man nodded to the guard next to him, and Ace's eyes widened as the man reached into his pocket and pulled out handcuffs. Ace's breath started to quicken, backing away as the man came closer. He looked over to Aokiji, who just looked back at him emotionless, before turning to leave. He raised a lazy hand as he walked away.

"I'll be taking my leave."

Ace took a moment to stare at the admiral leaving, a feeling of abandonment welling up inside. He cursed, knowing he was on his own. Turning back to the guard, he automatically got into a fighting position as the man got closer. He clenched his fists and teeth as he remembered the other man still knew about Luffy. With heavy reluctance, he slowly got back into a normal stance, and held out his hands.

*Click*

* * *

 **{Welp, finally this chapters done. I've been working on this shit for like two months. I blame my procrastination. Anyways next chapters either gonna be Ace centric or Marco centric, or both, haven't decided yet. But it will be out relatively soonish. Anyways hope you enjoyed the chap, bye for now!**

 **-Axx}**


	6. Close

**Review Responses:**

 **Rose7anne101- Let me begin by saying "I like your review, yoi." ;) Thank you! Aw you make me blush! :D Hope you enjoy the chapter, I promise your questions will all be answered in due time…. *Evily laughs***

 **MysticWaterWolf- Thanks! Here you are!**

 **Black' Victor Cachat- Yeah same dude! Erm.. I-I mean I totally have a plan what are you talking about… *Laughs awkwardly* Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Poemado- Thanks for the review! And I have to say I was planning on it. I feel like while grown Ace handled Impel's down tortue like no shits, his younger self may be a bit different… He has a lot of shit to go through this chapter so grab a napkin. And don't worry I'm still writing the others.**

 **StarliteOracle- Thx**

 **Yuzukikuran476- He'll be fine… After I destroy him first. Thx for the review.**

 **Seth42- Maybe… ;). Firstly thank you for the review! I love long reviews! Also I love to hear it was worth the wait, especially since updates can be a bit stretched apart. The bandits were trying to help him in their own way, although I don't approve either. Ace will get his happy ending… But he has a lot of shit to go through first. Dont worry, I have a plan. Maybe. Possibly. Somewhat. I'll figure that out later. Anyways thanks again for the review! And don't worry, your review was actually really well written! Conjugation sucks I agree! I'm trying to learn french and I'm like y so many Conjugations?! HALP.**

 **UnicornsThatGamble- Aw Thank you! No prob dude! When I read a good story, I try my best to share it! :D**

 **Gabrielangel23- Thank you! Here you are!**

 **AnyMoreBrightIdeasGenius- Thanks!**

 **XxAceLawxX- Relatable mate. I have the memory of a squirrel. True xD Sabo's as stubborn as his brother. *Lowered into grave* "IM FIIIIIIIIINEEEEE" Same. I like to call him Luff or Lu, and it followed me into the story if you've noticed. xD I can't say anything since I'm the same way. *Reads a great story* "MUST REVIEW" *Gets distracted* *75 years later I'm in my grave, hand pops out, "SHIT I FORGOT!"**

* * *

 **~READ ME~**

 **-Warning This Is Kinda dark- (Child Abuse, Ace goes through a lot of shit)**

 **(Also recommend listening to Hopium-Cut while reading Ace's part.)**

* * *

"Where are we going?"

Ace looked around, uneasiness increasing. The dull, cement walls made him feel trapped. Well… I guess that wasn't to far fetched. He clenched his teeth as he looked down. He was trapped. His freedom was gone. Ace flinched as he was forcefully shoved forward.

"Shut up and keep moving brat."

Ace's eyes glared at the back of the warden. His ears focused on the jingling of his cuffs, and the symmetric footsteps of the matching soldiers on either side of his eyes widened as he began to shake. A noise was filling his ears and he knew damn well what the sound was. _Screams_. Ace's breath quickened as he began to dread the future. Suddenly the warden stopped.

"I trust you can take it from here Sadi-chan?"

Ace tilted his head, trying to get a glimpse of who the other was speaking to. His eyes landed on a woman. She was dressed rather provocatively in hot pink. Similarly colored horns lay a top of a head of long, golden hair. Her eyes were covered by her hair, but a rather sinister grin was planted on her face. Ace felt a chill as her head tilted towards him. His eyes widened as she licked her lips.

"Absolutely Warden-kun."

Without much care, the warden walked away.

"Don't go overboard. We need him alive."

Ace backed away as she got closer, but that didn't get him far. Two large hands held him in place, one from each soldier. Trying to control his quickening breath, Ace forced a glare, trying to appear strong. His eyes widened as the woman chuckled, bending down to delicately place a hand on his cheek.

"What a cutie!...Such a shame you've been a bad boy."

She trailed her fingers down to his chin, lifting his head up. She leaned in closer, tilting her head. Ace's froze as he saw a glimpse of her eyes, fear beginning to overwhelm him. Licking her lips again, her sadism filled eyes were burnt into the raven's mind.

"Do you know what we do with bad boys?"

She leant in closer, her lipstick stained mouth right beside Ace's ear. Ace began to shake as she whispered into his ear.

"We _punish_ them _._ "

Ace paled as the woman pulled away, grin never leading her face.

"Now."

She licked her lips again.

"Let's cleanse you of your sins."

She nodded to the soldiers, and Ace felt himself once again forcefully pulled along. He was dragged to another room, where he was thrown on the floor. He landed with a grunt as his body made contact with the hard, cement floor. The woman stood in front of him with her arms crossed. She appeared to be looking him over.

"Strip him."

Ace's eyes widened as the two soldiers got closer to him. He screamed as their hands touched his shirt, automatically going into defensive mode. He kicked, punched, everything he could manage to keep their hands off him.

"Damnit brat! Stay still!"

"HELL NO! Get off me!"

Suddenly Ace felt his feet making contact with skin, and he looked up. He had managed to kick one of the soldiers in the face. He scoffed. ' _Serves them right.'_ His triumph didn't last long, as said soldier took his head and bashed it into the floor, quickly moving to keep him down as the other began removing Ace's clothes. Ace could only grit his teeth as his head pounded, he felt liquid trickling down his face. He could only clench his eyes shut and wait for it to be over.

"Alright, get him to the pot."

Ace's eyes snapped open as he realized the weight was off him. He felt relief, until he realized he was only in his boxers. He mentally cursed, his vision was blurred, his head was pounding, and his ears were ringing. Everything was a blur. He could barely registered being moved until he found himself attached to some type of device. His vision was impacted from earlier, and kept fading in and out from clear to blurry dots. Ace gritted his teeth, clenching his bound fists. For some reason, a picture of his two brothers smiling appeared in his mind. He sadly smiled remembering them, as he was lowered.

It was only a second before he felt it. Burning. _Boiling_. Within a minute Ace was completely submerged in the water. He thrashed around. Throat filling with water as his mouth ripped open in screams. Everything seemed to be a big blur, and he found himself wondering. How could something so hot, feel so _cold_? He could feel the water surrounding him, _burning_ him. It felt so long. A torture that lasted for only a matter of minutes, felt like a lifetime.

By the time Ace was taken out, he was shaking. Panting, with a throat raw from so much screaming, his skin was bright red. He didn't even realize he was out, his skin still burning, aching, reminding him of the hell he just endured. He didn't even realize as he was once again clothed. The dull black and white clothing only further reminded him of what he was.

A prisoner.

* * *

 **~Meanwhile...~**

* * *

"But Saaaaaaboo!"

"No Luffy, you saw what happened last time. I'll be right back, okay?"

"...Fine. But be back soon."

"I promise."

As much as the raven didn't want to admit it, he knew his brother was right. Pouting, he watched as he brother tied the shit to the docks, then disappeared into the town. Sighing, he headed back into the cabin, flopping down on the bed.

* * *

 _ **~Flashback~**_

* * *

" _Alrighty."_

 _The two of them had just restocked supplies, and had also found themselves with more directions to Impel Down. Both carrying large packs on their backs, they stopped to look at the same thing; a map. Sabo had bought it a little while ago, and little by little the brothers were getting closer. Pointing down to a spot on the parchment, Sabo looked at Luffy._

" _Here. This is where we need to get to."_

 _Luffy tilted his head as he read the label._

" _Calm belt?"_

 _Lightly tapping the spot, the blond nodded._

" _According to the lady at the bar, Impel down is hidden somewhere there. It'll be tricky finding it, but before that we need to worry about getting there."_

 _Sliding his finger slightly south, it landed on yet another destination._

" _The Reverse Mountain. It's the only way to get over there, and we're getting closer."_

 _Luffy grinned._

" _And that means we're closer to Ace!"_

 _The grin was infectious._

" _It's not gonna be easy. But we've come too far to give up now."_

 _Their two eyes met. Blue and brown. Both with one thing easily distinguished, determination._

" _We're getting Ace back."_

 _Quickly folding the map up, he stuffed it back into his pocket._

" _Ace?"_

 _Sabo snapped up at the unfamiliar voice, immediately getting in a defensive position slightly in front of his younger brother. His eyes darted around in the darkness, and glared when they reached their targets. It was some pirates. Roughly six or seven if Sabo had to estimate, but he didn't rule of the possibility there could be more he didn't see._

" _Who are you? What do you want?"_

" _What?"_

 _The man scoffed, chuckling humorlessly. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a piece of paper._

" _Silly boy. It's not about what I want."_

 _He opened the sheet, allowing Sabo to see just what was on the paper. His eyes widened as he made it out._

 _ **-WANTED-**_

 _ **Dead or Alive**_

 _ **Demon Brothers**_

 _ **Ace & Luffy**_

 _ **5 Million Beli**_

" _It's about who I want."_

 _Confusion written on his face, he looked over at his brother, wondering what he and Ace had managed to do to get themselves wanted. Shaking it off for now, he realized he had more... dire circumstances to tend to first. Like the man coming at him with a sword. He reached for his pipe, cursing when he realized he didn't bring it._

 _Quickly dodging, he turned and aimed a kick at the pirate. Which was unfortunately dodged as well. Clenching his teeth, Sabo peered over to Luffy, who had the right sense to stick close to him. 'Damnit…'Turning his attention back to the man, he dodged another attack, cursing he didn't have his pole on him. Mentally cursing again, he took a better look around. 'There!' His eyes landed on a stick, who was around the same size of his staff. It definitely wasn't as strong as it, but it would have to do for now, he decided as he lunged for it._

 _Sabo grinned at the familiar feel in his hand. Twirling it around once for the feel of it, he quickly got in a defense position, Luffy right at his side. The man only laughed when he saw Sabo's weapon._

" _A twig? You think your gonna defeat me with a twig?"_

 _The pirate laughed, setting his group off as well. Sabo felt a sting at the words, but that only brought determination. Lunging forward, he aimed for the man's head. But he was quickly intercepted, and the stick found itself cleanly cut in half. Quickly saving his head from being the same, Sabo jumped back, grabbing Luffy. Sabo cursed as he realized something. He couldn't win. Looking back at Luffy, he sighed. Grabbing his brother's hand, he began running into the woods, hoping to lose them. Sabo knew he wouldn't have only had to worry about himself if he fought, but Luffy as well. He might've been able to hold his own against them, but that could've also meant moving away from Luffy, and giving them an opening. Something he wasn't willing to risk._

 _As he ran, he found he missed Ace more than ever. Keeping Luffy safe was a lot easier when there was two of them._

* * *

 _ **~Back to the Present~**_

* * *

Luffy groaned. He didn't want to cause trouble for his brother, he really didn't. It's just… He was _so_ bored. He wanted to help. Turning over on the bed, he sighed as he faced the wall. He just felt so... useless. He didn't seem to be helping with anything. In fact, it was more like the opposite. He felt like his presence just made things worse. Sabo was attacked because of him, the treasure was lost because of him, and… Ace was gone. Luffy sniffled as he felt moistness arrive at his eyes. No. Luffy shook his head, holding back his tears. He wasn't going to cry until Ace was here to call him out for it. He had to be strong. Crying wasn't gonna get Ace back.

Taking a moment to settle his feelings, Luffy got up. They were going to get Ace back, and Luffy was helping. Nodding to himself, the raven exited the ship, and headed for the forest.

* * *

 _ **~You know who ;)~**_

* * *

Taking a moment to look up at the sky, he felt the wind dance around him as he listened to the seagulls. He had this feeling inside of him... something was going to happen. Shaking it off, he headed towards the town.

* * *

 **{Alrighty. Next time Marco meets the duo! And I apologize for the shortness of this chap. If u notice I tried making every chapter a little longer than the previous, but this is shorter. I'll try making the next a lot longer if I can, for compensation. Anyways make sure to favorite, follow, review. All that. Bye for now!**

 **-Axx}**


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